If Wycombe Wanderers were to announce on Monday that all season tickets for the remainder of the year were null and void, there would few Chairboys fans feeling short-changed from their summer investment.
For on Saturday afternoon, Adams Park hosted yet another thrilling game that saw goals, late drama and the sort of comeback for which Gareth Ainsworth’s team have become renowned in recent years.
Darren Ferguson’s impressive-looking Peterborough United were the guest stars this week, and there was a sense of trepidation about the fixture for the home side. Despite being unbeaten in their own back yard, a glance at the league table prior to kick-off showed that 17 of Wanderers 22 points had come against sides residing in the lower echelons of League One. Equally, there would have been a sense of irony had United been the first team to leave South Bucks with maximum points this season for less than twelve months ago, it was Wycombe who ended Peterborough’s unbeaten away start to the 2018-19 campaign.
Yet it wasn’t to be as Wycombe managed to eke out a point as, despite trailing 2-0 and 3-2 and having a man sent-off, the home side clinched a memorable 3-3 draw.
The match started at a frenetic pace with both sides looking to keep the ball down and go at the opposition, but Peterborough made the breakthrough after ten minutes. Wycombe were caught in possession and following some slick passing, Mohamed Eisa curled into the corner of the net past Ryan Allsop.
The half continued with Peterborough pressing and although Wycombe did find their way forward, they were limited to long-range efforts from Fred Onyedinma and Dominic Gape or set-piece balls into the box that failed to result in an attempt on Christy Pym’s goal.
United were looking more dangerous when they went forward and with Wycombe defending somewhat deep, a second goal seemed likely. It came on 38 minutes when Josh Knight’s effort found the net despite the best effort of Gape on the goalline.
It was a deserved lead and Wycombe’s afternoon got worse when Onyedinma went off injured to be replaced by Newcastle United loanee Rolando Aarons just before half-time.
Whilst Wycombe hadn’t played particularly poorly, they were deservedly 2-0 down to an impressive-looking Peterborough side who were really showing their promotion credentials.
A comfortable win was on the cards, yet as fans of Scunthorpe, Doncaster and Southend will testify, a 2-0 lead at Adams Park is not to be taken for granted and Peterborough would have had flashbacks to their recent game with Tranmere in which they let a two-goal lead slip. They went halfway to doing that again 11 minutes into the second half. A deep free-kick from Gape was met by the formidable head of Adebayo Akinfenwa whose header found the corner of the net, despite Pym getting a hand to it.
And the comeback was completed less than ten minutes later. Ainsworth’s decision to play three at the back had allowed Jack Grimmer to play further up the field and after an excellent passing move, his right-wing cross was diverted into his own goal by Frankie Kent.
Giles Phillips then went close to making it 3-2 to Wycombe before Ivan Toney re-instated Peterborough’s lead with 20 minutes to go. Toney got in behind the Wycombe defence but some sublime defending from the aforementioned Phillips kept him at bay. Yet this was just a stay of execution as it led to two corners and following the second, Toney scored with a superb close-range volley. The frenetic pace showed no sign of letting up, and Nick Freeman volleyed over from another Grimmer cross three minutes later before Allsop saved from a decent drive from Toney as the final ten minutes approached.
Wycombe’s task was then made that bit harder when Curtis Thompson fouled Toney and picked up his second booking of the game, resulting in Wanderers second red card in as many home games. This suggested Wycombe would throw caution to the wind and that a sixth goal would come – it was just a question of to whom.
Aarons tested Pym from distance just before six minutes additional time were shown by the fourth official. Halfway through that spell and Scott Kashket was barged into in the box by Dan Butler resulting in Wycombe being awarded their fourth penalty of the season. Akinfenwa stuck the last one away and on his 150th appearance for the club, swiftly tucked the ball under his arm. As the fans converged expectantly directly behind the goal in the Valley terrace, Akinfenwa was made to wait by some pushing and arguing, which saw Toney pick up a booking. Yet the big centre-forward was calmness personified as he sent Pym the wrong way to make it 3-3. Wycombe have now scored six goals in the final ten minutes of their seven home games this season.
Adams Park held its breath. Akinfenwa held his nerve.
Yet the drama in this one wasn’t over. Peterborough went in search of a winner and a mad goal mouth scramble eventually fell to George Boyd. He fired towards the net. Wycombe’s hearts entered their mouths as the travelling faithful prepared for the proverbial limbs when, as if by magic, Allsop appeared. He made a superb save to ensure the points were shared.
The final whistle was greeted with a cheer from the home crowd that told you everything about the story of the game. It was undeniably a point gained for Wycombe while United will feel like it’s two points dropped. It may not be the manner of the game that will frustrate Ferguson per se, but they will look on each of the goals they conceded with regret that more wasn’t done to prevent them.
The result leaves Wycombe rooted in second spot, three points clear of Fleetwood Town yet four behind the leaders Ipswich. This would have set up a potentially thrilling top of the table clash at Portman Road next week, but international call-ups have forced Ipswich to have the game postponed. Wanderers next league games are hardly easy fare though as they welcome Sunderland in a fortnight before travelling to Blackpool and then Rotherham.
Peterborough meanwhile sit just outside the play-off zone and welcome Lincoln to London Road next week.
WYCOMBE WANDERERS 3 (Akinfenwa 56, 90+5pen, Kent 56 o.g.)
PETERBOROUGH UNITED 3 (Eisa 10, Knight 38, Toney 70)
words Phil Slatter, D3D4 Wycombe Wanderers correspondent